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C. D. P. GIBSON.

, STORAGE BATTERY. No. 382,968. j* Pmnte-d May 15, 1888..

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C. D. P. GIBSON.

STORAGE BATTERY.

Patented Mey 15, 1888.

No. 38,968. II "ML,

N. PETERS. phewuxhegmphur, wesmngcen. D. c.

" 'NITED STATES PATENT STORAGE-BATTE: RY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,968, dated May 15,1888.

Application tiled March 31, 18S?.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. I. GIBSON, of the city and county of NewYork, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement Relating to Storage-Batteries, of which the following is aspecification.

I have devised improvements whereby the battery is made compact and itsparts conveniently exchangeable. I provide for complete electricalconnections from the top of the plates without any possibility of theacid being drawn up, so as to render the apparatus unsightly.

A feature to which I attach special importance lies in my manner offilling the cavities in my plates by immersion in a solution andexposure to a current, so as to fill the cells by disintegration of theplates or by deposits from the solution, or partly by each, and thesubsequent exposure to the sun and air, to crys. tallize the activematerial and absorb oxygen. I prefer to use plates of lead havingcavities closed or nearly closedafter being filled. By my present methodof filling the cavities I attain the result very evenly and perfectly.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification andrepresent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line x x in Fig. 2, certainportions shown in the side elevation to save labor. Fig. 2 is a planview with the cover removed. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 represent one of thehard-rubber or other nonconduetingvessels and its contents detached.Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line y y in Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is avertical section on the line z a in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a top view of oneof the cells complete. Fig. 6 is a face view of a pair of theoxygen-plates detached. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 8is aside View of one of my insulating-frames detached. Fig. 9 is asection of a portion of one of the oxygen-plates before filling. Fig. 10is a corresponding section after filling. Fig. 11 shows the method offilling. Figs. l2 and 13 are side elevations showing modilied forms ofthe hydrogen-plates.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts in all thefigures where they 00CHF.

Serial No. 233,111. (No model.)

hinged cover, Adi.

B B, Sto., are rectangular vessels of hard rubber. B* is a cover of thesaine material, which performs important functions.

C C are perforated lcaden vessels fitted within the tight non-conductingvessels B. The interior of B is provided with a series of ridges orspurs, b, which serve to maintain a space between B and C, in which theexcitingsolution may freely circulate.

`I) D are the oxygen-plates of the storagebattery; but other good platesmay serve. They are arranged in pairs, folded, cut, and appliedtogether, as shown in Fig. 4l. A sufcient space is maintainedbetweeni'the interior of the perforated vessel C and the several platesand also between the several plates themselves by a series of openworkframes, E, of hard rubber. These frames are formed, as shown, ofobliquely-arranged members, all the parts of one frame being molded orotherwise formed together in one piece. One face or both faces of eachframe is rounded in crosssection. The form and inclination of the partscause the easy disengagement of any bubbles of gas which may strikethese frames in rising. The pockets or 11e-entering angles which liebelow each crossing point are liable to acoumulate gas. I make holes din the plates D, arranged adjacent to the several pockets, so that thegas can easily traverse laterally through the hole, and itsdisengagement be thus facilitated. There may be more of the holesd,variouslylocated; but I attach special importance to the holesarranged to coincide with these pockets.

F is a horizontal pin of hard rubber, which being thrust through theuppermost holes, d, tends to maintain all the plates D in their properrelative positions.

To produce my oXygen-plates,I cast or otherwise form the plates of anyrequired height and width, and from one-eighth to one-quarter of an inchthick,with cavities extending obliquely through, and with an extensionof the metal at each face. These plates, which may be of ordinary lead,are preferably made in pairs and joined at the top by making a platetwice the proper depth, partially cutting across and folding, asindicated in Figs. 6 and 7.

The charging of the cavities with lead in the proper spongy condition,instead of being effected mechanically, with much labor and obviouslywith some degree of irregularity, is by my present invention effected bythe current while the plates are immersed in a proper liquid. The platesprovided with the cavities are suspended in the liquid by a wire orother proper connection to a cross-bar and electrical connection. Thesuspending-wire for each pair of plates serves both mechanically to support and electrically to convey a current. A current of proper strengthis sent through the series, and the cavities are evenly filled withperoxide in a few hours. The solution may be one part of sulphuric acidto ten parts of water; but this and all the other proportions shouldunder some circumstances be varied according to the judgment of theoperator. After the cavities in the plates have been thus filled theplates are exposed to sunshine in the open air until the filling isthoroughly oxidized and partly or entirely crystallized. A section of aplate ready to be charged is shown in Fig. 9 of the vpresent drawings.

The vessel C serves as the hydrogen-plate. It is provided throughoutwithpockets or cavities, the same as the plates D, and they are similarlyfilled by electrical disintegration or deposition, and similarly closedor nearly closed on each face, as shown in Fig. 10.

To the folds at the upper edges of the several pairs of plates D aresoldered lead wires G, which lead up through the cover Bl, and aresoldered or otherwise joined to a horizontal plate of lead, H, whichextends alongnear three edges of the cover. rIhere are as many of thesewires G as there are pairs of plates D. A corresponding lead wire, I, issoldered to the edge of the perforated vessel C, which vessel serves asthe hydrogen-plate, and similarly leads up through a hole in the coverB*, and is soldered or otherwise joined to a horizontal plate of lead,J, on the top, which is smaller and out of connection with thepreviously-described plate H. A layer of bitumen or a suitable cement,K, is applied hot between each plate of lead H or J and the cover Bf. Itfits tightly around the wires G and I, stopping all the joints, so thatthe iiuid in the vessel B cannot be drawn up by capillary attraction orother cause and exposed to evaporate on the cover Bl. There is anon-oxidizing conductor or wire, M, leading up from the plate H of eachcell. Itis embraced in a screw-cap,which is inserted through a plate, Q,in the switchboard I. v

N are corresponding non-oxidizable wires leading upward from the smallerplates, J, and similarly connected by screw-caps O to plates R.

The switch-board l? rests on the shoulders or stops A and carriesbinding-posts Q2 R2, which are ready, on raising the cover A to beconnected to any wires which may be introduced and perform their usualfunctions. My switch board is equipped for allowing thethreebattery-cells to serve singly, in series, or in multiple arc. Theprovisions for effecting the changes in this respect are simple and willreadily become familiar to electricians. The switch board P being itselfa good non-conductor, or being faced with material, as hard rubber,which fulfills this condition, I arrange upon its upper surface the twoseries of isolated plates Q and R, each insulated from the other andfrom all surrounding objects, except as they shall be connected byswitch-plugs or switches. Just outside of the series of plates Rarecorresponding auxiliary plates, It. One of these is connected by a wireto the binding-post R2.

The switch-plugs T may be made in the ordinary manner of metal withrubber handles. Holes are formed in the switch-board, and the edges ofthe plates are indented to receive these switch-plugs in the severalpositions indicated. Byinserting the switch-plugs in the different holesand removing and shifting them as required I can connect any one or twoof the batteries to the respective binding-posts in multiple or series.

Among the advantages due to my switchboard and the connection of theseveral battery-cells thereto and to each other in the manner shown, isthe facility afforded for varying the number of cells which are madeavailable at any time, and for changing from one battery-cell to anotherby simply changing the switch-plug.

Another advantage to which I attach much importance is the facility'afforded for lifting all the battery-cells out of the case A forexamination or repairs and for returning them at will. The lifting outand returning of the parts may be effected instantly without labor orskill.

Modifications may be made in the details without departing from theprinciple or sacrifcing the advantages of the invention. I can use thevessels B and their contents differently proportioned. I can use agreater orless number of plates D. I can use the perforated plateswithout closing the holes. I can use `other material than hard rubberfor the frames E, vessels B, and covers B". For the hydrogen or oxygenplates I can use any other oxidizable material in place of lead. I canemploy other means than soldering for attaching the lead wires G to theplates D. One good way would be to cast or otherwise make the plateswith prolongations equivalent to the wires G attached. I prefer underordinary conditions to make them separately of lead, and to solder witha quick movement by a hot iron. I can use more than three batterycellsB.

Parts of the invention may be used without the whole. I can dispensewith the perforated lead vessel C and employ ordinary plane platesinstead.

I claim as my invention-e- IOO sezeee 1. Tn a storage-battery, theopen-Work insulating-frame E, composed of members erossing each other,incombination With the storageplates D, provided with holes d opposite theangles formed by the crossing of said members, substantially asspecified.

2. In a storage-battery, the open-Work insulatingframes E, composed ofmembers crossing each other,in combination with the storageplates D,having holes d, and the pin F, arranged for joint operation, as hereinspecitied.

3. In a storage-battery, in combination with two or more sub-batteries,B, and their plates and connections, the switch-board P, compris ing anumber of separate plates, Q, connected to one pole of the severalbatteries, a number of remote and separate plates, R, connected to theother pole of the several batteries,a number of independent auxiliaryplates, Q', arranged adjacent to each of said plates Q, a number ofindependent auxiliary plates, R', arranged adjacent to said plates R,binding-posts Q2, connected to said independent plates Q, and binding-posts R2, connected to said independent plates R', allot said platesbeing provided with notches in their adjacent faces, whereby saidseveral batteries are adapted to be connected at will in series ormultiple by plugs T, substantially as specified.

4. The method described of filling cavities in the plates of astorage-battery by immers ing in a suitable liquid and electricallyconnecting and sending a current through the plates under suchconditions as to ll 'the cavities with peroxide by disintegration ordeposition, or both, and exposure of plates to crystallize and absorboxygen, substantially as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at New York city, this26th day of March, 1887,in theprescnce oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

CHAS. D. P. GIBSON. lVitnesses:

H. A. JoHNsToNE, M. F. BOYLE.

